[Crunchtime]

I graduated college in 2009, was an auditor for 2 years and with a cpa firm for the last 4ish years. I received 184 credits from college and when I left I was guaranteed I had enough credits to be license by my school. The state board called me today and said I only have 122 credits and need an additional 28 credits. My college screwed me over and my life might be over.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[GitRDone2017]

Have the licensing requirements changed since you graduated? Look into what you are missing exactly, you may be surprised. I had to take a business math class (easy) to meet all of my requirements last summer even though I had already graduated with my Bachelor's degree. Also, if you know who you were guaranteed by at your school, go back in and talk to them and see why you didn't meet the requirements, good luck! My State also always internships for college credit, that is definitely worth looking into if you are already employed.

"Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking tartar sauce with you" - Zig Ziglar
Ninja book + Ninja MCQ + Roger
AUD Oct 2016
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BEC ?
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[Crunchtime]

Called my school and they said the board is misrepresenting their position and their school's program grants you 150 credits and would be eligible for certification.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Anonymous]

Multiple options:

1. Educational requirements may have changed in the last 7 years. Many states have had changes. If your state used to require 120 semester hours and now requires 150 semester hours, that could explain the difference. I think all states now require 150 and Colorado was the last to change, within the last year or two. Could still be one I've forgotten, though.

2. If you had 184 semester hours, and the state board says you only have 122, then that sounds like they're missing a transcript or part of one, and is worth looking into. However, if you had 184 quarter hours, then that's about right to be 122 semester hours, so sounds right.

Final thought: having to get 28 hours now will suck, but it's not the end of the world. Basically you have a Bachelor's, and now most or, I think all, states require basically a Master's in addition (either do require a Master's, or require a Master's worth of credits – I got my credits through undergrad extra courses, but most states offer extra undergrad or grad work as options). If you take 1 accelerated class at a time, that's 6 semester credits per semester; taking 1 per summer means 5 classes/15 credits per year, so 2 years of 1 class at a time. You're already 6 years out of school, so 2 more years won't be that terrible, or you could take 2 classes at a time and get it done in 1 year.

I would recommend as an option a program like the MBA that I'm enrolled in which is 30 credits and which could be 1 or 2 years as described above, but is just about $13k or less altogether.

[Crunchtime]

I am just quite crushed by this, my company gave me a raise and wants to start marketing me for partner, I do think my job security is in question here.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[GitRDone2017]

Any way that you can get your school contact to talk to the board? There may be some misunderstanding going on between them. This doesn't sound like it's your fault, I hope your employer will understand that. i was quite stressed myself for a bit as I was hired under the understanding that I had only a few credits left to complete my education requirement and that I would be sitting for the exam in the very near future. I do not know what the environment is like at your work, but I would talk to someone appropriate about the situation unless you feel they are going to freak out, if that's the case get all your information collected before discussing it, so sorry to hear of this, I know how difficult it can be trying to just get qualified to sit for the exam. Lilla could be right, maybe they are missing a transcript? Look into the internship credits if your state allows it, I did that and it was really beneficial. Deep breath!!!!!!!

"Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking tartar sauce with you" - Zig Ziglar
Ninja book + Ninja MCQ + Roger
AUD Oct 2016
FAR Nov 2016
BEC ?
REG?

[Missy]

No offense but if you didn't do your own due diligence I can't see how anyone “screwed you over” but yourself.

Now lets take a deep breath, see how the board evaluated your credits, what they say you're deficient in, make sure an error wasn't made in your credit evaluation.

Chances are good seven YEARS ago you met the requirements but if you didn't apply for the exams then, keeping up with the requirement changes is up to you.
T

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[CPA2BEE]

I'm guessing you have 184 quarter units, which probably translates into 122 semester units. You need 150 semester units which I believe is 225 quarter units.

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[Anonymous]

Colorado changed their requirement last year so your college didn't really screw you over, you just waited too long to get your license. Like Lilla said though, getting 28 more credits is not the end of the world. Tons of people here had to go back to school to meet the education requirement, myself included. I knocked out 27 credits in a year and a half while working full time and it wasn't that bad.

Edit: I don't know why I thought you were in Colorado since it doesn't say that in your post, sorry! But again don't freak out, getting the rest of the hours in the event that you do have to wouldn't be horrible.

[Accountant183748]

I agree with what others are saying that an extra 28 credits isn't the end of the world so just take a deep breath, relax and figure out what your plan is going forward.

Did your state change the requirements? I think it might be quarter hours as everyone is mentioning.

To come to OPs defense a bit, a lot of us start college very young and are naive at this point and if our school says we will have the credits to meet the CPA requirements we believe them. I will admit that I was like this in college and when my school said the accounting program was enough to meet the CPA requirements, I didn't do any extra research. Not saying I shouldn't have done extra research, but reputable accounting programs should provide us with the correct information.

That said, the requirements for my state changed after I graduated so I am stuck taking another class to meet the requirements! It do believe after graduation it our duty to make sure we stay updated with the requirements. Colorado went from 120 to 150 credits and everyone in the accounting field was talking about this.

[bhunt815]

I had an issue with some credits I earned in the 90's from a state university that lost its accreditation for a few years, one of which i received 32 semester hours. So, even though I had an MS I had to enroll take an additional 15 semester hours to reach the 150 semester hour rule. Could something like that be the case?

And if you think this hurdle is the end of the world, the actual testing process may put you in the mental ward. Your stress has just begun my friend.

FAR 04/11/2016 - 84
AUD 05/12/2016 - 79
BEC 07/06/2016 - 81
REG 08/29/2016

[Crunchtime]

Thanks for all the comments, I find it funny that someone talks “bad” to me on my due diligence and it is obvious you have no idea what school I went to, also saying it is my own fault to believe and trust what the school has told me. You probably should practice what you preach. The school I went has been sued and found guilty of fraud for the same thing regarding their criminal justice degree, I am contacting the attorney general regarding their accounting degree as well.

I am enrolling for my MBT and will be starting that on November 1st

But thanks for the comments.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[GitRDone2017]

Not sure why the “due diligence” comment came up. I had to trust what my school adviser told me as well, I am pretty sure that is what they are there for. I thought she was correct, but until the State Board gave me the go ahead, I was praying pretty hard! It sounds like you have a plan going, keep in touch!

"Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking tartar sauce with you" - Zig Ziglar
Ninja book + Ninja MCQ + Roger
AUD Oct 2016
FAR Nov 2016
BEC ?
REG?

[acamp]

So what was the result?

Since you're enrolling in an MBT program, did your school indeed screw you over, or did you just snooze the exam too long while the education requirements increased?

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[Missy]

Actually I DO practice what I preach in that even when my school told me I was qualified to sit I realized they didn't by any means speak on behalf of my state board and e-mailed my transcript directly to them for confirmation. Schools can't speak to the state cpa requirements it's not their area of expertise.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[CPA2BEE]

The only thing the school can assure you is whether or not the classes they offer are accredited to sit for the CPA exam. Schools don't evaluate your transcripts and determine whether or not you are eligible to sit for the CPA exam, thats your state board's job. It is completely up to the candidate to determine which classes and how many classes he/she needs to take in order to meet the educational requirements of your state board. You can have 300 units under your belt, but if those classes don't meet the criteria set forth by the board then they are no good as far as sitting for the exam goes. I'd try to get more info from my state board and figure out exactly how many units under each subject matter I'm missing, then get moving on those ASAP. There are plenty of online extension programs through universities all over the country that offer classes.

I had to pick up 28 extra units as well after I got my bachelors in 2014 – I did it in a year while working full time, even through busy season as well, and this is when I was 23 years old and still really lazy. It won't take that much of your time and I can promise you that picking up those extra units is going to be a hell of a lot easier than passing the actual CPA exam itself. Good luck to you.

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[Author]

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